Stéphane Durand
A southern getaway between Saint-Tropez and Ramatuelle
While the villages of the Var are transformed into temples of festivity every summer, there are a few hotels and restaurants that promise peace, luxury and pleasure. Here's a roundup of the finest addresses for a gentle summer break.
Hotel La Bastide de Saint-Tropez
This discreet Relais & Châteaux has just been given a facelift by interior designer Jessica Berguig. The 26 rooms and suites (all with balcony or terrace), scattered between a main house and four Provencal farmhouses, feature natural elements such as light wood for furniture and headboards, and beige, ochre and off-white tones. The new Bali-shaped swimming pool sits proudly at the heart of a garden in which palm trees, cypresses, lemon and fig trees create a setting halfway between California and a Provencal estate. And to ensure total relaxation, the five-star hotel is now partnering with the Holidermie brand to deliver the finest treatments at the heart of its spa. The perfect place to unwind during a romantic weekend.
Hôtel de la Bastide
25, route des Carles, 83990 Saint-Tropez.
Photo credit: @Marc de Delley
Café de l'Ormeau, Ramatuelle
The future, they say, belongs to those who get up early. If you too don't like the idea of sleeping in, take advantage of the fresh air to enjoy breakfast at Café de l'Ormeau. In the heart of the village of Ramatuelle, this institution has just been given a makeover by the Indie group. And while it's great to sit out on its shady terrace, the café is also best appreciated from inside, where chesterfield sofas and bistro chairs form a perfect duo. Outside, bread, croissants, jam and coffee can be enjoyed to the accompaniment of cymbals, as the cicadas (who don't wait for lunchtime to get down to business) are known.
Café de l'Omrmeau
4, place de l'Ormeau, 83350 Ramatuelle.
Photos with Rights Reserved
Restaurant Les Moulins de Ramatuelle
The Bellaveglia family welcomes us to an old farmhouse converted into a restaurant. A garden of Eden, where we toast our drinks during frenzied games of pétanque, all in a cocoon of discreet luxury, a true heritage of the Saint-Tropez of yesteryear, far removed from contemporary bling-bling. This authenticity is also evident in the kitchen, with fougasse featuring exceptional olive oil, and panisses and zucchini flower fritters that are as Provençal as they are summery. And since we're so close to the sea, it would be a mistake to miss out on the delicious scorpion fish ravioli accompanied by their fish soup: a perfect way to swim in happiness.
Les Moulins de Ramatuelle
34, chemin des Moulins, 83350 Ramatuelle.
Photo credit: @Justine Hern
Restaurant and beach club Cybèle Ramatuelle
Cybèle, which opened just a few days ago in place of Le Neptune, has taken Ramatuelle's beach by storm. The verdant decor, designed by Cordelia de Castellane (director of Dior Maison), evokes a seaside house where it's nice to enjoy lunch facing the Mediterranean, with the sound of the waves and a magnificent olive tree for company. A heavenly setting in which to savour chef Mathieu Pacaud's maritime dishes, such as zucchini stuffed with spider crab or whole lobster with basil butter. And after this exquisite meal, what could be better than lounging on one of the sunbeds sipping a house cocktail? Try the Cibèle Daisy, made with italicus, vodka, pomegranate and lemon, as fresh as it is delicate.
Restaurant and beach club Cybèle Ramatuelle
369, chemin de Matarane, 83350 Ramatuelle.
Photos with Rights Reserved
Hotel La Réserve, Ramatuelle
Inspired by the golden age of the French Riviera, designer Jacques Garcia has tastefully redecorated the twenty-seven rooms and suites of this luxury hotel, set away from prying eyes in the hills of Ramatuelle. The new furnishings play on shades of blue and white, but let the azure sky and ambient luminosity take center stage. Craftsmanship is not left out, with mosaics by Julien Capron and a gigantic fresco by Meilleur Ouvrier de France Delphine Nény. The best is also to be found at the Nescens spa, where a better-aging massage detoxifies, drains and stimulates muscular and energy pathways using a lympho-drainage device. As a result, the body is freed of all its blockages, and the vacations can really begin.
La Reserve
736, chemin des Crêtes, 83350 Ramatuelle.
Photo credit:© Grégoire Gardette
